Diary of a Mad Editor

The other evening I was chatting with Yellow Mama editor, Cindy Rosmus about using politically correct language in creative writing. Cindy says:

I know I’m enjoying writing when I can be really DISGUSTING… Say what I want. You know, say “fuck” whenever I feel like it, & in this story, calling somebody a “gook fuck” & not worry about some politically-correct bleeding heart shaking his finger at me. I mean, nothing SUPPRESSES me more than being forced to sugar-coat shit. Like how the world can’t just say, “black,” anymore, they have to say “African-American.” I have to let characters say what THEY feel. And this one character is a nasty, foulmouthed 8th grade girl. Nasty people don’t edit their words.

For the most part I found myself agreeing with her, although I think she is talking about two different but not altogether unrelated subjects. Let’s consider political correctness for a moment. I do wholeheartedly agree that politically correct language should not be a part of any serious writer’s vocabulary. Let’s examine the example Cindy gave — using the term “African-American” instead of “black.” Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t actress Charlize Theron come from South Africa? Doesn’t she further have dual citizenship in both the U.S. and South Africa? Is she not, then, African-American? Yes? And she’s also a tall, sexy white woman isn’t she? Therefore, “African-American” isn’t terribly descriptive and can be misleading can’t it. In fact, you’ll find time and again, that all politically correct language is, by it’s very nature and intent, misleading and useless to any serious writer. For that reason alone, it should be disgarded, and if you’re using such language just so your readers won’t think you prejudice or whatever, you shouldn’t even be a writer. A real writer doesn’t care what people think of him; he just writes what he’s compelled to write regardless.

Now, let’s address the second part of this, the notion of using curse words in creative writing. Cindy was referring specifically to using such language in dialogue when writing short stories as I recall. Obviously, anyone reading this blog or some of my other writing knows I have no problem with cursing. However, I do think such language should, for the most part, be used judiciously and strategically. I don’t think writers should curse arbitrarily or just because they think it’s cool or cutting edge and certainly not because they believe such language still has shock value. Dropping the F-bomb at just the right moment can sometimes add something spicy and unexpected to the mix. However, if you’re consistently napalming the hell out of your poetry or prose with a solid barrage of F-bombs you are sucking the life out of your writing and you only make yourself look ignorant in the process.

So, to wrap-up. Political Correctness Bad. Cursing OK. Too much thoughtless cursing bad. Censorship Bad. Editing Good. Editing is not the same thing as Censoring.

And if you happen to disagree with any of that . . . well, why don’t you go fuck yourself because you’re an idiot and we don’t much like idiots ’round here, Hoss.